Growing with the Spirit

A 50th Anniversary… a time for celebration, praise, and thanksgiving for Holy Spirit Parish in Calgary, established on August 18, 1974, by Bishop Paul O’Byrne to meet the needs of the growing Catholic population in the southwest quadrant of Calgary!

Our Beginning: Growing with the Spirit

Quickly outgrowing the space at St. Benedict School, a fundraising campaign, "Growing with the Spirit," was initiated with the participation of the entire parish. The result was a move into a beautiful church on June 25, 1988. Fr. David Meadows shared, "I think one of the most memorable moments in the history of Holy Spirit was the actual construction and building of Holy Spirit Church in 1988. And then eventually paying off the debt."

​Although beautiful, this building still required a lot of work, as the offices, meeting rooms, kitchen, etc., were not complete. Once again, parishioners stepped up with another fundraising campaign, "Together in the Spirit." As before, parishioners generously gave their time, talent, and treasure, which included building a retaining wall, crafting the first set of Stations of the Cross and candlestick holders and ambo, painting the interior, and assembling pews.

A fire in May 1998 once again demonstrated the resolve of the parishioners, as the church was restored by the fall of that year, allowing the parish community to resume as usual. Through all these years, the Holy Spirit has continually invited parishioners to grow in their faith by offering their time and talents, whether in Sunday or weekday liturgies, beautifying the environment, leading Bible studies, prayer groups, rosary making, sacrament preparation, catechesis and RCIA/RCIT, youth ministry, pastoral care, sponsoring families, or being members of the Knights of Columbus or the Catholic Women’s League.

A Legacy of Renewal

Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a Hispanic community was welcomed into our parish in 2009. Fr. Meadows noted, "The parish has grown over the years from being a new suburban parish with a great number of young families with children to today, when we are almost an inner-city parish with not so many young families but plenty of elderly parishioners. Also, with the passage of time, the parish has become much more multicultural with parishioners from all over the world—South America, Asia, Africa. We have a Spanish community within the parish, and this has been for the past 15 years."

The deep connection and commitment of the parishioners have been evident throughout the years. Jeanne Lathangue, a long-time parishioner, reflected, "Belonging to Holy Spirit since its beginning has been and is everything to us. We have made this parish a huge part of our lives. We know and feel all the bumps and lumps we suffer and overcome together."

​She continued, "We pray for each other and love each other. We appreciate our priests and help them as much as we can. When you place God first in everything you do, marvelous things come to pass. What more can we ask for? God our Father is truly merciful."

​During the COVID years, a small group of parishioners kept the parish functioning so that Sunday and daily Mass could be celebrated, despite the toll the virus took. With that in mind, the 50th Anniversary Committee decided to focus on “rebuilding,” with "Life in the Spirit" as the theme. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, a year-long celebration was planned, with hospitality and prayer at the core.

​Reflecting on the spirit of our parish, Anna Glynn, a long-time member and former parish secretary, shared how Fr. Joe Toole would remind her, "always remember that when someone comes to the office, you are the face of Christ." This profound guidance shaped not only her years of service but also continues to resonate with our parish community today. It’s a powerful reminder of the role we all play in embodying the love and compassion of Christ, in being a Church of Encounter and Witness.

Beginning in April, a month before the kickoff, parishioners were asked to become part of a pictorial/history book, inspiration magnets were distributed to all the students of our three schools, names of parish families were displayed on “Flames” on our church windows, a beautiful anniversary banner was designed and made by three talented women, 800 anniversary rosaries were made by our rosary makers and distributed at our anniversary Mass on Pentecost, and 5 beautiful Travelling Prayer Crosses were made and donated by two families. These crosses were blessed by Bishop McGrattan and are traveling weekly from home to home as parishioners pray for the needs of the parish and the community.

A Hopeful Future

Our 50th Anniversary Mass, celebrated on May 19 , 2024 with Bishop McGrattan as the celebrant and a congregation wearing red, lifted their voices in grateful praise and thanksgiving as the year-long celebration began. Each month, different activities are planned to strengthen our congregation as a family where all are called, belong, and matter, so that life in the Spirit continues to grow.

In this season of Pastoral Renewal, Fr. Meadows expressed, "My hope for the future is that the parish will continue to grow and to be able to meet the challenges and needs of an ever-changing world." As our church community prays before each weekend Mass, “Come Holy Spirit,” we hope to continue bringing His presence to the community for the next 50 years and beyond. 

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Written by Judy Look, a devoted parishioner of Holy Spirit Parish since 1977. Over the years, Judy has served in various roles, including pastoral assistant, catechist, parish council chair, and in all liturgical ministries. Currently, she facilitates the Moms Group and the Widow/Widowers Group. Judy is also a Past Provincial President of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada.

​Photos courtesy of Holy Spirit Parish, Calgary.